1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sealants suitable for use as puncture sealants in pneumatic tires, and more particularly, to a flowable tire puncture sealant composition containing surface-activated, particulate polymeric material dispersed in latex.
2. Description of Related Art
The problems associated with the loss of air from punctures in pneumatic tires are well known. Although the concept of injecting various compositions into a tire to seal punctures has also been known for some time, many of the prior art compositions proposed to date suffer from a variety of disadvantages. One of the principal disadvantages of prior art tire puncture sealant compositions has been the tendency of fibrous materials used in the conventional compositions to clump and ball up prior to entering the puncture. Inadequate sealing results when sealant fluid enters a puncture without the accompanying fibrous material. Some tires are manufactured with a liner and a built-in sealant, but they tend to be more expensive. Furthermore, such tires are typically only available for nominal sizes of 13-15 inches.
A tire puncture sealant is therefore needed that will evenly coat the interior tire surface along the tread area, that will not "puddle" at the bottom of the tire, that will satisfactorily seal punctures, and that will not react adversely with or damage other parts of the tire or wheel.